World Federation of Trade Unions
Published Surveys on occupational accidents in Bangladesh revealed the unspeakable and continuous crime that is taking place in the workplaces. According to the data, in 2021 the number of deaths in accidents in the workplaces increased, despite the 5-months covid-19-related restrictions in work. There were more than 399 reported accidents in the whole country with several hundreds of victims. The combined data from the surveys show that in the transport sector at least 319 workers lost their lives in road crashes, 138 workers died in construction sector workplaces, 116 were killed in the manufacturing sector, 147 workers died in the service sector and 95 workers from the agriculture sector were added in the endless occupational accident death toll of 2021. Among them, there were the 52 workers who burnt to death due to the fire in a five-story food and beverage factory in Rupganj outside Dhaka, in which it was reported that the main exit of the factory was locked from the inside. The total number of casualties that includes the dead and the critically injured workers is more than 1500. However, the official data and the surveys do not show the whole picture since there are unlisted occupational accidents, especially in the informal sector. Moreover, the reports and the surveys do not include the work-related accidents that take place outside the workplaces such as the fatal accidents during the transportation of workers from/to work. The World Federation of Trade Unions expresses its internationalist solidarity with the people of Bangladesh that another year mourned hundreds of its children who were killed, struggling to earn their livelihood. We will strengthen our struggle for health and safety in all workplaces all over the world and for adequate safety measures in all aspects of life. The Secretariat
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WFTU statement on the occupational accidents in Bangladesh in 2021